India aims to become major intimate apparel maker

One of the focal points at this year’s Galleria Intima, India’s biggest intimate apparel trade fair, is the transformation of the country’s intimate apparel sector to help it emerge as the next major manufacturing hub.

India has long been a global player in the overall textile and apparel sector, but in the intimate wear sub-segment India is yet to make in-roads in world trade, organisers of Galleria Intima, the Intimate Apparel Association of India (IAAI) says. The show this year will focus on how the intimate wear manufacturing industry in India can be boosted to attain global importance.

It will concentrate on the strengths of the Indian industry that can be leveraged to position India as a leading manufacturing destination for intimate wear. Now under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Make in India program, the country is said to present endless opportunities to become the next big manufacturer of lingerie in the world.

To support the IAAI in its Make in India initiative, Shri Santosh Kumar Gangwar, the Honourable Minister of State for Textiles (Independent Charge) will kick off the show with his Opening Speech at Inauguration. The Joint Secretary for Textile Exports Smt. Sunaina Tomar has also confirmed her presence at the show.

One of the aims of this year’s event is to show the leading international intimate apparel brands that the nation has all the necessary resources to develop the sector. “At Galleria Intima 2015, one of the central aims would be on how to Make In India and sell the ‘Made in India’ in the international market as well as derive the incidental benefit of enhancing domestic consumption,” the IAAI says.

According to the organisation, India’s global trade of apparel for the financial year 2013 stood at US$ 379 billion, out of which only 9% was intimate wear, highlighting the immense untapped opportunity the sector represents.

The intimate apparel category includes a wide range of clothing items, varying from lingerie, underwear, loungewear and nightwear to shape-wear, swimwear, socks and stockings and more.

Global trade of intimate apparel has seen impressive growth, the IAAI says, with an increase from US$ 27 billion in 2009 to US$ 34 billion in 2013 at a compound annual growth rate (or CAGR) of 7%. India has seen a remarkable growth in exports through the years as well, with intimate wear accounting for US$ 1.2 billion in the financial year 2013, a contribution of 4% of total global trade in the intimate apparel category, it adds.

The top 5 markets in the intimate wear category are USA, Japan, Germany, UK and France, with the USA leading imports in the segment with a share of approximately 24% worldwide. USA’s top brands include some of the most recognisable names in the world such as Victoria’s Secret, Fruit of the Loom, Aerie, Warnaco Group, La Senza, and Hanes.

According to the IAAI, China is the largest supplier of intimate clothing worldwide, with a 44% share of the global market. “Manufacturing costs in Europe and America have been excessively high, which has forced these brands to source their finished products from Asia. China has been the primary supplier of intimate apparel for years, but growing wages in the country have led to higher costs in manufacturing, turning the attention of top brands towards other cost competitive countries,” the IAAI says.

“India in this regard presents immense opportunities for the setting up of OEMs of international brands. Thus, this event is a must visit as it intends to draw the attention of seasoned brands towards the country as a potential site for setting up of their manufacturing units.”

“The head honchos of international brands will get to interact with local OEMs as well as local brands that can serve as potential OEMs. This event will also serve as a platform for these brands to tap the opportunities of the local markets with help of inputs from industry insiders on consumer trends, besides providing value information on the local market scenario, its patterns as well as the maximum benefits that can be derived from it.“

“About 15 Chinese companies are also expected to participate, bringing with them their storehouse of raw materials, making Galleria Intima 4.0 an all-encompassing platform for intimate apparel.”

Yusuf Dohadwala, CEO of Intimate Apparel Associations of India points out that: “India has been a sleeping giant in the category of intimate wear for quite a long time. This is the time to wake the giant out of its slumber and show its true potential to the world. The ‘Make in India’ drive initiated by our honourable Prime Minister is sure to help us in commencing the golden age of the Intimate Wear Industry in the country. The next 5-10 years look very promising.”

The IAAF says that the country has an abundance of raw materials as well as a large inexpensive workforce to provide cost effective solutions to lingerie manufacturing. Not only this, the organisation adds, India also presents a growing middle-class, fashion-conscious consumer market that demands top quality products from well-established global brands.

“The infrastructure of the nation is strong enough to easily support the set up of such OEMs, along with the high global connectivity that it offers for the free flow of global trade. These factors are bound to be a magnet for international brands and make the nation an attractive destination for the setting up of their manufacturing units,” the IAAF explains.

This year, Galleria Intima is being held in the national capital, New Delhi and is expected to be a major global affair. The choice of the capital city was a carefully selected one as it offers greater connectivity with its excellent land and air transportation. India’s largest sourcing show, that is taking place on 26th and 27th August 2015, will have New Delhi’s luxurious Crowne Plaza (Rohini) as its chosen venue.

The event is organised by the Intimate Apparel Association of India (IAAI) and has seen exponential growth in terms of footfall and participants throughout the years.

Galleria Intima will showcase everything from fibres to laces, to hooks and packaging. It is expected to draw visitors from a wide variety of sectors including brand owners, manufacturers of intimate wear, designers, export houses, large format retailers, online retailers, buying houses etc. More than 1000 brands from India alone are expected to visit along with 80 exhibitors from 10+ countries.

The Intimate Apparel Association of India (IAAI) was founded to look after the interests and the development of the Indian intimate apparel sector. Established in 2010, the aim is to promote and develop the Indian intimate wear sector and transform the sector as well as the country into a global production hub. To make their vision a reality, the body utilises a mixture of innovation and effective marketing strategies for bringing about long-term and sustainable growth.